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Comments
Craig
They did delete the mud flaps and the cargo liner and cover, IIRC.
Phong: check the ATF fluid level and ask your dealer to double-check at your next oil change.
-juice
I think the most I've seen is three in a row too. I went hiking over by Santa Cruz. Pulled into a parking spot, got out and whaddayaknow -- three in a row.
Ken
The new mechanism basically copied VW - they ratchet up higher and higher. The only thing I didn't like was that at the highest position it seemed to angle you towards the seat very slightly.
-juice
Ed
Ed I'm going to post this over in the new suggestions forum.
Bob
Now give me heated Alcantara with good lumbar support and adequate thigh support for this fire hydrant, and I'll take you on a road trip.
Ed
Funny thing is the 2004 WRX indeed got wider seats. They are very comfy and no less supportive.
-juice
Craig- I will park next to another OB if available. At least I know the door bumpers will line up (no ding). Maybe you three can get turbo Foresters. Then you can really blast off at NASA. Sorry!
Greg
After starting for work the morning after a rainy night a scraping/friction noise would come from the back rear wheels area upon brake application. After a couple stop signs the noise would be gone, so I figured "moisture factor."
Am I thinking correctly, and is anyone else experiencing the same? Why would only the back calipers get wet? Should I be more concerned than I am?
Thanks in advance.
joe
Len
I also asked the tech why I didn't see this problem during test drive. His answer was after the break-in period, the car settled down and worked like it supposed to.
Long term reviews of 03 Forester did mention about anything like this so I'm wondering how wide spread the delay is.
It's completely normal.
Ken
Craig
I don't recall anyone mentioning the oil filter flap in the plastic guard. Six really neat half turn screws with a pop out screw head, pull out the screw insert, then the flap turns to allow good access to the oil filter. It took me a while to figure out how the screw operates, it is nothing like I have run into before.
John
juice: Adjusting for angle affects height, and vice versa, of course. The Owner's Manual gives 'em equal weight: "Turn either dial to adjust the angle and height of the seat cushion to the desired position."
I do think the seat/seat-back cushions and bolsters are better than those in the S. I would rather have both fore and aft adjusters instead of the single adjuster so I could fine-tune the seat angle and height more to my liking. Like you, I recommend that potential buyers try the seats out for themselves (unlike me; I didn't sit in an '03 XS until after I'd bought mine).
pntd: I notice a lag of a second or so when going from reverse to drive in my '03 XS, but thought it more a quirk than a problem.
Craig: Many Subaru sightings at the university where I work. The lot closest to the building I work in usually has six Outbacks (3 Wagon, 2 Sport, 1 Limited sedan), four other Foresters besides mine, four Imprezas (2 RS, 1 TS, 1 WRX), and some Legacy sedans and wagons. And that's in just one of the several lots on campus.
I would agree with Lowell. It is a characteristic of the 4EAT. I believe it does that on my '98 OB, '99 OBS, and the '03 WRX, all 4EATs. I'm probably so use to it that I no longer notice it. I will refer to it as a quirk, and NOT a problem.
-Dave
IRT increasing the seat width, I prefer Greg's simple alternative. I certainly hope that car seats aren't going to be the next area to fall to the super-size craze!
-Frank P.
All winter we had been getting around 19-24 mpg and I had attributed it to our ethanol and the cold weather, but now I will be more diligent in checking the tire pressure since it made a noticeable difference and has probably been the biggest factor all along. Shame on me for not checking it earlier...
Another interesting thing - I have never seen more new cars being shipped on our nation's highways than I saw during the ride home yesterday. I kid you not, we must have seen no less than 25 car-carrier semis during our 420 mile drive! March must be a good month for car salesmen!
lowellk: you really didn't sit in the '03 before buying it? That's a nice leap of faith. :-)
Don't get me wrong, I like the angle adjustments, they're great for long trips when you're fatigued. It's just that the new ratcheting mechanism has a much bigger range of adjustments going up and down.
-juice
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?s=8485c96c43eeac6d- 2a4b3a27b61e8433&threadid=328841
It's for a 01-02 Forester. If I had the money I'd be getting it right now.
I had an automatic transmission before and so my questions are? Am I just really sleepy and lame at shifting early in the morning?
Is there possibly something wrong with the clutch I should have looked at before the 1,000 limited warranty expires.
Does the car need to warm up a bit and all the fluids flowing before I try to drive and shift.
Cars aren't something I know a lot about. The car went through a Dealer Gold Certification check but I know that doesn't always mean much. Please help! If this is not the right forum I can post this somewhere else.
Greg
You're experience clutch chatter on a cold drivetrain. It has nothing to do with your driving style.
Depending on how bad it is, you could just ignore it (it doesn't seem to affect clutch longevity), or ask the dealer to adjust it, or even replace the clutch's pressure plate.
Maybe start with a dealer adjustment and go from there.
To answer your other question, insert the key and turn it, but wait a couple of seconds for the fuel pump to establish fuel pressure before turning it on.
Once it's started, give it at least 7 seconds to establish oil pressure before driving off.
Finally, try to avoid putting too much load on the engine until it's fully warmed up. But I do think it's OK to drive off if you're taking it easy for the first couple of miles.
-juice
TWRX
I would like to take it back to the dealer to have it fixed. They may turn me down as it's a "limited" warranty but it's worth a try.
It's a load off of my mind to know that it won't affect the longevity of the clutch. I had to replace a transmission in an old Nissan Stanza wagon I had. It was a pretty pricey undertaking.
Would you know about how many miles on average a transmission should last?
juice - I'll follow your instructions on starting and waiting. My 92 Camry has 252,000 well loved miles on it. I have to say that I really, really, really like this Forester and I want it to be around for awhile.
Unfortunately it is one of those "characteristics of the vehicle" that irritates. My one big hassle with my Outback.
The detailed explanation for the cold/damp morning clutch shudder was given to me by Subaru here in Australia after a bit of a run around. Apparently the clutch facing material is fairly hard but asbestos free, intended to last under failry heavy load. However, the clutch material is susceptible to moisture take up, when cooled from warm (ie usage) on a damp evening. Think of how the dew settles on the windows on such days. On the following morning, it will be juddery until it warms up. Slightly higher throttle settings at take off (with a little clutch slip) seem to avoid the problem. Starting, as I usually do by aplying the clutch from idle and then acceelerating is less successful.
Subaru tell me they can change the clutch but problem will reappear after about 1000 miles. I will live with it. Supposedly later clutches are dual mass or something or other.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Graham
Yes and I live in the rainy northwest US so there is plenty of dampness to go around. It rains from October through July 4 most years. Right now it's warm and wet.
OK, so I'll live with it. Just gonna ask this question again for my sanity. About how many miles should a manual transmission on my Subaru last?
It doesn't affect longevity so if it doesn't bother you much I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
A manual tranny should last the life of the car. A clutch is a different story. I've seen clutches replaced at 36k, 80k, 107k, it varies greatly. None of those were Subarus, though.
-juice
Has a wire fallen off a relay? A relay gone bad? Have I lost it? I asked a buddy who's had a dozen or so subies over the years and he swears every one with power door locks would unlock all 5. I know if I call the dlr, I'll get the old "bring it in and we'll look". BTW, nothing about this in owners manual.
Help
windy6
Ross
Another thing is where you point it. I'm not sure why, but if I am behind it and point it at the hatch, I get the best range. This is odd because the receiver is under the steering wheel.
-juice
Also, holding BOTH buttons for two seconds is the "panic" function that activates the alarm -- handy if someone nearby acts suspiciously.
--- Lowell
Did they clean it up nicely during the PDI?
-juice
The two prep guys did a very good job. The body, windows and cabin were spotless. The window sticker was neatly tucked into the glove compartment and they even set the compass to the correct zone. The only thing they missed was checking the tire pressure. All five tires were over-inflated. Overall, I was very satisfied with their work.
--- Lowell
Jim
Ken
Forester XS seats: As a previous owner of a 99 Forester L, I was worried about the switch to only a single height adjuster, as I liked to have the front almost all the way up and the back all the way down so as to cradle and support my thighs. I was pleased to find the the angle and contour of the 03 Foresters to be quite comfortable. No complaints here. I see it as a design streamlining/simplification rather than cheapening, as the seats are at least as comfortable if not more so.
Brake noise: I too have always noticed the temporary brake scraping noise many days for the first few stops. It's good to know that's totally normal.
Auto tranny lag: Neither my '99 nor my '03 Forester ever had the smoothest transmission, but they are responsive enough. I definitely have noticed the lag from reverse to park in my '03. I'd say about 1.5-2 seconds. If I give it gas too soon, it feels like something is slipping and then grabs with a shudder. If I wait 2 seconds, it's takes off smooth. Again, it's good to hear this is normal. However, the person that posted it also lags when starting from a light -- I would find that unacceptable and dangerous. You should accelerate as soon as you touch the peddle. I would escalate that issue to your dealer and Subaru if it is not resolved.
Is it me, or is it incredibly annoying that the A/C turns on when it the interior reaches the set temperature, even if it is 10 degrees outside?
I would certainly like to see an economy mode that overrides the A/C. (Yes I know I can turn it off manually, but it resets when you press the Auto button again.)
I also feel that the blower level is way too biased toward rapid temperature gains rather than passenger comfort. If it's very cold, I don't mind it blowing on the highest fan speed for a couple of minutes to at least get it tolerable, but then I'd like to see it drop to the 2nd level and gradually warm it up. I can't stand it blowing out heat on the highest level for 10-15 minutes, so I am constantly overriding it. It also feels like it over compensates and gets too warm, so I generally am turning the temp down to 66 or so.
Anyone else share these feelings? I think Subaru could definitely tweak the design of this.
Elliot
Elliot: it's actually a common complaint. There was a lot of discussion about it a while ago.
-juice
Craig
-juice
I can't speak to how well climate control works out of personal experience, but the Subaru rendition apparently needs work.
I'd look for a way not to own it personally, like powered doors on a mini-van. More trouble than they're worth, from what I've gathered. How hard is it to make some simple settings on the climate controls, really ? I see zero benefit. What am I missing ?
As to my powered doors example, I know that some people can't live without 'em, but for my money, powered doors are a deal-killer. I won't pay for them. I don't even want them for "free". Too many reports of problems that the dealer can't isolate. "Honey, I'm stuck in the parking lot at the grocery store, because the doors won't stay latched." This is an example of #4 above. No thanks.
-brianV
-juice
That said, I see no excuse for the Forester not having power seats. I just can't fathom that Subaru doesn't feel the Forester owner is important enough to offer this feature.
Also I've had many cars with automatic climate control and I always have had to over ride the numb n*ts computer to the point of frustration. Even on high end cars like Lexus and Corvette . Manual is better as long as it has enough options.
-brianV
But drop both, I'd rather see them spend money on something more useful, like real metal skid plates instead of the plastic covers.
-juice